Esther | A Position with Purpose | Esther 4:7-17

Esther | A Position with Purpose | Esther 4:7-17

Esther 4:7–17

Mordecai told him the whole story, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people. [Mordecai instructs Esther to take care of her people even though he also tells her to keep her identity safe. This marks a major shift in the story.] So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai’s message.

Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.” [Esther is faced with a life-threatening decision. As long as Esther holds onto her identity as Queen, she is not helpful to the Jews, herself, and ultimately, God’s agenda.] So Hathach gave Esther’s message to Mordecai.

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” [Mordecai’s trust is in the faithfulness of God, not in the faithfulness of Esther. He knows God will not let his people down—God’s faithfulness is not dependent on human choices.]

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” So Mordecai went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. [Esther adopts a bold attitude towards her mission. She is determined to be obedient, no matter what the cost.]

RESPONSE

  1. At fi rst, Esther hesitates in response to Mordecai’s request of pleading with the king. What fears is she wrestling with, and how do these reflect the challenges she faces as queen?
  2. Mordecai suggests that Esther's position as queen is not a coincidence but part of a larger plan, and he encourages her to use her position for the good of others. Who in your life reminds you of your larger role in God’s plan?